Genealogy Chat

Hi, been researching my hubby's tree. His great grandparents & great great great grandparents both had twin girls (the great had two sets!). I was wondering if the male gene carries it or the female as if it's the female then it's pure coincidence but if the male then could be a trend?

Read about it here: http://genepi.qimr.edu.au/ScientificAmerican_Twins.html

Is it genetic? I didn't think it was.

It depends whether or not they were identical or fraternal twins - dunno how you would find that out from this distance! OC

Thanks guys, learn something new every day.

Fraternal are genetic from the Female Identical just happen by chance. Tracy

Identical twins are caused when one fertilised egg makes a 'mistake', duplicates its information and splits into two. This could be a random act, or it could be an inherited 'fault', from either the mother or the father. Fraternal twins are when two separate eggs are fertilised during the same menstrual cycle. This is again a 'mistake', which is more likely to be carried down the female line, because it is her BODY which is allowing this to happen, not her DNA. Olde Crone

My daughter objected strongly when her biology teacher described her as a freak of nature. From what I picked up at the time natural twin births about 1 in 80 making twins about 1 in 40. Triplets one in about 800.

as far as i understand fraternal twins can be hereditary from the female line of the family where as identical twins tend to happen at random Caroline

Nolls Did they factor in fertility treatment? As either type of twin can been seen as a genetic 'mistake', I cant see how an increase in twins can be seen as a GOOD thing, if you see what I mean, surely this shows that there are more genetic mistakes being made?? OC

fraternal twins are more common with older mothers. So even if you eliminate those due to fertility treatment, the trend towards delaying having children could be an explanation. I have heard it explained that as the woman ages, she is more likely to release 2 eggs at a time, thus increasing the likelihood of having ONE pregnancy. Of course it sometimes happens that BOTH are fertilised. This trend (releasing more than one egg at a time) can be inherited. The twins in one of my lines are hereditary - it only happens when mum is called Agnes! (3 generations). It was never a twin herself that went on to have twins, but in all cases the mum was over 35.

Oh...this is strange...I've got twins in my family tree but I can't work out the pattern, it looks like the male line to me: Grt Grt grandfather had twins Two of his grandsons had sets of twins One of his grt grandsons had twins. Anyone know if this is normal?